2017 Rolls-Royce Wraith Review

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2017 Rolls-Royce WraithOverview

Some cars do nothing more than get the job done—they take you where you need to go but aren’t much more than boxes of metal with a steering wheel and four tires. Then there are the cars that are an experience in and of themselves, like the 2017 Rolls-Royce Wraith, turning the drive into the whole reason for stepping out in the first place.

The Wraith is the 2-door cousin of the Ghost and is the sportier, sleeker of the two luxury cars. First introduced in 2014, the only real change to the 2017 model is a new Black Badge trim. The Wraith is built on a modified BMW 7 Series platform, but don’t think for a second that it looks or drives like a BMW. This is a car with a starting price of $315,700, with luxury options that include a gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament, a starlight header, and a Rolls-Royce bespoke audio system. Each Wraith is individually crafted to suit the buyer, and no request is too extreme. You want wood trim crafted from trees on your family estate? Rolls-Royce can make that happen. And if you’re in the market to buy a Rolls-Royce, the exorbitant price probably won’t even matter.

The Wraith is equipped with a twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12 engine good for 624 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. The V12 is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission with satellite-aided transmission technology that uses the car’s GPS to see the road ahead and predict the right gear for optimal performance. The 5,203-lb Wraith can go from 0 to 60 mph in a cool 4.4 seconds and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph, delivering a smooth, controlled ride—thanks in part to dampers that recalculate every 2.5 milliseconds.

The interior of the Wraith is an elegant, luxurious space. Standard features include massaging front seats with full natural-grain leather and trim in Walnut Burr or Piano Black. The wood trim is carefully laid out with the grain angled at 55 degrees to follow the flow of the interior, and it can be upgraded to Canadel, oak, mahogany, or ash. Optional items include an 18-speaker Rolls-Royce bespoke audio system with 7 tweeters and 2 subwoofers, plush lambswool floor mats, a glass roof, night vision, and active cruise control with stop-and-go. As for safety, lane-departure warning, high-beam assistance, and a head-up display all come standard.

As if the Wraith wasn’t already luxurious enough, Rolls-Royce has introduced a Black Badge trim with a darker, moodier aesthetic and more power. This version features black and high-gloss dark chrome on the grille and throughout the bodywork, with darkened exhaust pipes and badging. Exclusive to the Black Badge trim are 21-inch carbon fiber composite wheels that take their cue from Italian supercars of the 1960s.

Inside the Black Badge Wraith are a clock with bright, orange-tipped hands, deep chrome air vents, and a dashboard fascia made of 0.014mm aluminum threads hand-woven with carbon fiber. The Wraith is already the most powerful Rolls-Royce in the world and the Black Badge version takes it one step further, with powertrain tweaks that boost the torque up to 642 lb-ft.

The Rolls-Royce Wraith isn’t so much a car as it is an experience. Offering an unparalleled drive with a lush interior limited only by your imagination, it’s the epitome of aspirational vehicles and won’t disappoint those fortunate enough to buy one.

Nicole Wakelin's passion for cars started on the day she went for a ride in a bright red Ferrari as a teenager. She writes reviews and covers everything cars for CarGurus, The Boston Globe, BestRide, AAA, Autobytel, and numerous other outlets.